(Author: Zeteo)
This checklist is a list of things to constantly monitor as the game moves on. If you ever find yourself unsure of what you should be doing, it should be going through this list. Doing so can help you remember what you should be doing.
- This is absolutely THE most important thing you should be doing. If your economy is imbalanced, then you aren't able to spend your resources adequately.
- Metal should always be your limiting factor. If it's energy, add on energy production asap to restore order. Sometimes I see players do this late, then try to fix it by adding on a little energy when they need a lot quickly.
- If your metal starts to rise while you have enough energy, then add on build power (usually construction turrets) to assist with factory production / building up your base.
- Many players idly build tons of extra energy, which is ok if they know they'll need it for T2. Ideally, however, it's going to be better to build just what you need, when you need it. (With exception to extra high wind maps, when converting it isn't going to take several minutes to pay off).
- Ideally, metal should be slowly draining and energy should be just slightly more than you need. It's easy to over make build power
- Seeing bombers or raids early can be critical to you or your team's survival.
- Always ping to alert your allies asap so they have a heads up. A few seconds can mean a quick guard tower or AA defense.
- Are your units idly dying to an artillery? Did your opponent poke/push you while you were checking your base?
- Take a look at what units they have and decide what you want to do about it - do you want to push? defend and tech? If you don't have direct vision, perhaps send a scout in and see?
- Even if you cannot see your opponent's units directly, you should have a forward radar to see if those dots are accumulating. Maybe they don't have a lot and they may be teching, is it time to push? Or maybe the dots keep adding up and you need more to defend with.
- Commanders should almost never be idle early on - Grab more metal extractors, assist nearby construction, repair damaged units on the front, ect
- Constructors at base can be told to assist your factory when their jobs are completed to help you spend that metal
- Constructors/Rezbots near the frontline can assist with repairing your/allied units (for free mind you)
- Reclaiming metal can easily turn the tide of battle, but oftentimes it's in the dead zone between you and your opponent. Is there potential for you to push and start reclaiming it?
- Take a look at not only your lane opponent's units, but the adjacent enemies/allies and see what they're up to and how they're doing.
- Maybe you can spare a few units to your ally or a few moments and aid in that fight instead of pushing into a bunch of defenses. This can be a big deal and a little bit of help can turn a losing fight into a winning fight or a winning fight into a 'The game's now over' situation